Simon KeefeDriving digital transformation through strategic product leadership.

Head of Consumer Technology - Rugby Australia

I direct Rugby Australia's comprehensive digital ecosystem, managing technology solutions that serve every level of Rugby, from grassroots all the way up to elite international competition. My primary objective is building robust, scalable systems that maximize user engagement while streamlining operational processes throughout the Rugby ecosystem.

Key achievements include Rugby Xplorer's successful international expansion, with New Zealand Rugby integrated in 2024 following USA Rugby onboarding in 2022. I spearheaded the implementation of our new Learning Management System and launched Rugby Australia's "Video First" content strategy, which dramatically increased community Rugby video engagement nationwide. These initiatives required complex stakeholder coordination and technical architecture planning across multiple jurisdictions.

I'm currently directing multiple strategic initiatives, including a comprehensive Rugby Xplorer mobile application redevelopment and the implementation of Tixserve's ticketing solution, which will dramatically improve our corporate partnership management processes in preparation for the Lions Series. These projects deliver substantial enhancements to both fan engagement capabilities and operational workflow efficiency.

My methodology emphasizes data-driven decision making and continuous stakeholder feedback integration. Through systematic performance analysis and user research, I ensure our digital solutions address real-world challenges while anticipating future requirements. This strategic approach has positioned Rugby Australia's technology infrastructure as a sporting industry leader, delivering measurable value across all levels of Rugby participation.

Product Manager, Rugby Xplorer - Rugby Australia

In 2022, I transitioned from Development to Product Management, leading Rugby Australia's flagship platform, Rugby Xplorer. My development background proved invaluable in this strategic role.

Rugby Xplorer is a comprehensive digital platform serving fans, players, coaches, officials and administrators across all levels of Rugby Union. The platform enables competition management, club registrations, and powers thousands of websites from community clubs to national teams.

A key achievement was successfully onboarding USA Rugby in 2022, navigating complex compliance requirements and implementing significant platform changes to accommodate their unique governance structure. The platform launched on schedule for club registrations.

I also managed the High Performance Analytics team, collaborating with coaches and support staff to deliver dashboards and reports for team selection, injury prevention, and match-day analysis—an exciting challenge that combined data insights with sport performance.

Digital Technology Manager - Rugby Australia

I collaborated with internal and external stakeholders and development teams to enhance the 36-site Rugby Network, working with a passionate team focused on leveraging technology to benefit fans and participants.

I led the strategic migration from Sitecore to KeystoneJS, a headless CMS built on NextJS, managing the development team and partnering closely with ThinkMill to ensure best practice implementation throughout the transition.

Despite COVID-19 challenges, we successfully launched all club and state sites within the critical window between the 2021 season end and the 2022 membership and registration campaigns—a significant team achievement that demonstrated strong project management and technical execution.

Senior Front-End Web Developer - Rugby Australia

As Rugby Australia's sole Front-End Developer, I collaborated with Accenture to deliver www.rugby.com.au in Sitecore, managing stakeholder requirements and ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery before the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Post-launch, I took full ownership of the site, facilitating weekly sprint meetings with business owners and stakeholders to prioritize and execute enhancement requests. I implemented improvements to both the public-facing site and back-end systems, optimizing workflow efficiency for our journalism team.

Between 2018-2019, I expanded the platform into the "Rugby Network," developing 22 additional sites including those for the Wallabies, Wallaroos, AU7s, Super Rugby Clubs, and Member Unions. This role required close collaboration with stakeholders across Rugby Australia and state/club organizations to ensure all requirements were met.

This work significantly transformed Rugby's digital presence across Australia, creating a cohesive network of professional websites that enhanced fan engagement and organizational efficiency.

Senior Front-End Web Developer - Cornerstone Digital

Front-End Development & Design

• Full-stack website development from design mockups to production deployment
• Responsive web design and cross-platform optimization
• Content management system integration and customization

Technical Infrastructure

• Web server setup and configuration management
• DNS management and domain configuration
• HTML email template development and campaign execution

Project Leadership & Management

• End-to-end project management from conception to delivery
• New business development and project estimation
• Vendor and contractor coordination

Team Development & Client Relations

• Staff recruitment, technical assessment, and training programs
• Client onboarding and CMS training delivery
• Ongoing client support and website maintenance

Early Experience

• Digital Resource Manager - Rosshaven Design: 2009
• Freelance Web Developer - Skeefe Systems: 2008-2009
• Web Developer - Simply Marketing Group: 2007-2008